Vernier caliper base



July 18, 1950 F. Km 2,515,7

VERNIER CALIPER BASE Filed NOV. 2, 1945 FIG- 1 v fi ll FIG. 2 i" 8 up" IO 2 l9 a z,

| FIG. 3

INVENTOR FRANK KIKLY,

ATTO RNEYS.

Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,515,716

VERNIER CALIPER BASE Frank Kikly, Lima, Ohio Application November 2, 1945, Serial No. 626,339

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a base for converting a Vernier caliper into a Vernier height gauge, and the primary object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient device of this character which eliminates the necessity for providing a vernier height gauge where a Vernier caliper is available when it is desired to measure the height of an object above a flat surface on whichthe object is mounted.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof partly broken away to show internal structure.

Figure 3 is a left hand end elevation of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 generally designates the Vernier caliper converting base which consists of an elongated semi-cylindrical block of metal, one end of which is semi-circularly cut away at its opposite sides at 6 to define the central nose I which is rounded at its sides, as shown in Figure 1. A longitudinal centralized slot 8 runs through the block from end to end and opens through the top. The curved portion of the surface of the block is rough knurled all over except for the cut-away portions 6, which are smooth.

The end of the block opposite the nose I is uniformly reduced at 9 down as far as the point It] to accommodate a flush substantially semicircular plate I I, which has an inwardly directed,

vertically elongated lug l2 which enters and closes the adjacent end of the slot 6, and is proportioned to engage the heel of the calipers arm 26, screws l3 and I4 passing through holes provided in the plate being used to hold the plate flush in place in the cut-out 9, Hi.

The plate H when in place conceals the enlarged, threaded and slotted head l6 of a pin I! which extends parallelly through the block at one side of the slot and across a notch l8 which is cut in the side of the block intermediate the ends thereof but does not reach into the slot 8. In the notch I8 is swingably mounted on the pin H the lower end portion of the standard of an inverted L-shaped clamping element l9 whose 2 jaw portion 20 can be made to project across the top of the slot 8, as indicated in Figure 3.

A thumb-screw 2| has a reduced threaded shank 22 passing through a suitably enlarged hole in the upper part of the standard of the jaw l9 and is threaded into the inner wall of the notch l8, so that the outer side of the jaw can bear against the annular shoulder 23 of the thumbscrew, urged by a light spring 24 circumposed on. the shank 22 behind the jaw.

To use the device of the invention, the thumbscrew 2| being loosened, the zero point measuring arm 26 on a conventional Vernier calipers is inserted in the slot 8, which is apportioned to re ceive said arm, with the outer end thereof at the nose end of the block 5 and with the beam 25 thereof rising from the slot 8 behind the jaw IS.

The thumb-screw 2! is then turned in to bring the portion 20 of the jaw l9 down upon the upper edge of the caliper arm 26 so as to clamp the vernier calipers to the base with the beam 25 thereof rising from the base in position to be used as a vernier height gauge by operating the other arm, not shown, of the calipers relative to the base 5.

What I claim is:

A base for converting a conventional vernier caliper having a beam and a zero point measuring arm fixed thereon, into a Vernier height gauge, said base comprising a block adapted to rest upon a flat surface from which the height of an object supported on said surface is to be gauged, said block having front and rear ends, said block being formed in its top with a longitudinal slot opening through said forward end, said slot having a floor parallel to the bottom surface of said base and opposed vertical side walls, said slot being proportioned to receive conformably substantially the entire length and height of said zero point measuring arm with said arm parallel to said surface and with said beam rising perpendicular therefrom, a transversely adjustable clamp comprising an inverted and substantially L-shaped element having a substantially vertically disposed standard and a substantially horizontally disposed jaw, means pivotally connecting the lower end of said standard to said block, said means comprising a pin having an axis parallel to said slot, a thumb screw having a shank threaded in said block and a head bearing against the outer side of said standard above said pivot, said thumb slot, a vertical wall closing the rear end of said 5 slot, the inner surface of said wall providing an abutment for the heel of said arm, and means de-' tachably securing said wall to said rear end ofsaid block.

FRANK KIKLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Thorsberg Jan. 23, 1945 Malsom Nov. 23, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France May 2, 1932 France Feb. 21, 1933 

